A system for controlling multicast traffic in a multiprocessing system is disclosed. The multiprocessing system includes a general-purpose processor, a plurality of network processors and a switch fabric. The system comprises a multicast identifier (MID) manager to manage a distributed database of MIDs. The distributed database includes at least one compound MID. The at least one compound MID structure further comprises a plurality of MIDs representing at least two multicast groups. The system also includes a MID processor which traverses the at least one compound MID and resolves it into its associated simple MIDs. Accordingly, the present invention provides for a system and method for efficiently controlling multicast transmissions when different types of multicast groups are to receive the multicast transmissions. In this system and method a new type of multicast identifier (MID) is provided, a compound MID. The compound MID is a single MID but references multiple MIDs. The system includes a MID manager which manages a distributed database of MIDS. Finally, the system and method includes at least one MID processor which accesses the appropriate compound MIDs and resolves them into the simple member MIDs to allow a router to provide the information to an appropriate bridge.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A system for controlling multicast traffic in a multiprocessing system, the multiprocessing system including a general purpose processor, a plurality of network processors and a switch fabric, the system comprising: at least one compound multicast identifier (MID) comprising: a chain of link blocks; a plurality of pointers stored in the chain of link blocks; and a plurality of simple MIDs which identify at least two multicast groups of at least one network processor, wherein each of the plurality of pointers points to a simple MID of the plurality of simple MIDs; a MID manager which manages the at least one compound MID; and an MID processor which accesses the at least one compound MID to process the plurality of simple MIDs.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the MID manager is located in the general purpose processor.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the MID processor is located in at least one of the network processors.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of processors includes at least one ingress processor and at least one egress processor.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one ingress processor includes an ingress table for storing an entry specifying which of the plurality of network processors will have multicast data forwarded thereto.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one egress processor includes an egress table for storing simple and compound MIDs.
7. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one ingress processor includes an upside table for storing an entry specifying which of the plurality of network processors will have multicast data forwarded thereto.
8. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one egress processor includes a downside table for storing simple and compound MIDs.
9. A multiprocessor system comprising: at least one compound multicast identifier (MID) comprising: a chain of link blocks; a plurality of pointers stored in the chain of link blocks; and a plurality of simple MIDs which identify at least two multicast groups of at least one network processor, wherein each of the plurality pointers points to a simple MID of the plurality of simple MIDs; a switch fabric; a general purpose processor coupled to the switch fabric, the general purpose processor comprising a MID manager to manage a distributed database which comprises the at least one compound MID; at least one ingress processor for providing data packets to the switch fabric; and at least one egress processor for receiving the data packets from the switch fabric, wherein the at least one egress processor further includes an MID processor which accesses the at least one compound MID to process the plurality of simple MIDs.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 7, 2000
May 18, 2004
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.